ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday for holding general elections in the national and provincial assemblies on the same date.
Malik Faisal Mahmood, a resident of Talagang, Punjab, moved the apex court. The petition said that a major question of public importance has arisen and this court may kindly declare the effects of the provision of the constitution with regard to holding of polls of provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The petition added that postponing the elections for the provincial assemblies until the general polls will resolve the issue of mistrust.
Polls on different dates
It also noted that holding polls on different dates would have additional financial effects and, without deploying of security forces, would become a “risky affair”.
The petition added that the non-availability of security forces for election duties due to the country’s current security situation should be considered top.
The petitioner further requested the apex court to ensure transparency, elections of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies should be held on one date for which the polls in Punjab and KP be delayed.
Last Wednesday, the ECP delayed the polls to Punjab Assembly until 8 October on the grounds that it could not conduct peaceful and transparent polls on the scheduled date of 30 April.
However, the PTI, which had disbanded its government in both provinces in a bid to increase pressure against the ruling coalition to announce early polls, moved the apex court against the ECP’s move.
The party maintained that the electoral body’s move is in violation of the constitution as well as the Supreme Court’s order.
A day earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial had observed that the Election Commission had no right to postpone the Punjab Assembly polls.
A 5-member larger bench, headed by CJP Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail heard the case.
The PTI is expected to challenge the Election Commission’s to hold the elections in KP in the apex court as well.
